What happens when work becomes more than just a job? In this compelling episode of The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast, host Arlina Allen welcomes Dr. Dawn Nickel to discuss the often overlooked addiction to work. Known as workaholism, this addiction can be masked by society's praise for ambition and productivity. Dawn shares her own experiences with a 'workaholic blackout,' a moment that made her realise the extent of her dependency on work as a coping mechanism.

After years of substance recovery, Dawn found herself in a new cycle of overwork and anxiety. She opens up about how her self-worth became entangled with her productivity and the burnout that followed. The conversation highlights the fine line between being driven and being addicted to work, offering listeners practical steps to identify and manage workaholism. Dawn's story is a reminder that recovery isn't just about substances; it can also be about redefining one's identity and finding balance in life.

Whether you're someone who feels trapped in the cycle of overworking or simply curious about the signs of workaholism, this episode provides valuable insights and tools for rebuilding a healthier relationship with work. Could your drive for success be more than just ambition? Tune in to explore how to find balance and redefine what it means to be truly successful.

Explore workaholism with Arlina Allen and Dr. Dawn Nickel as they discuss burnout, identity, and finding balance in this eye-opening episode.

Is Work Your Drug? Exploring Workaholism and Burnout

<h2 dir="ltr">The Respectable Addiction: When Work Becomes the Coping Mechanism</h2> A reflection on burnout, identity, and recovery — plus practical action steps There's an addiction we rarely talk about because it looks like ambition. It earns praise. Promotions. Respect. It hides behind phrases like "driven," "productive," and "hard-working." But for many high achievers, work isn't just effort — it's a coping mechanism. In this episode, Dawn shares her story of a "workaholic blackout" — the moment she realized work had become her drug. After years of recovery from substances, she found herself caught in a new cycle: overwork, anxiety, identity tied to productivity, and eventual burnout. At one point, she drove home from work and had no memory of the drive. That was the moment everything shifted. What followed was a diagnosis of extreme burnout and a realization that she wasn't just "busy" — she was addicted to working.   <hr />   <h2 dir="ltr">When Work Stops Being Healthy</h2> One of the most powerful distinctions Dawn shared is this: Working hard doesn't make someone a workaholic. External pressure doesn't equal addiction. Workaholism comes from the inside. It's marked by: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> An internal compulsion to keep working </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Self-worth tied to productivity </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Constant thoughts about work </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Anxiety or guilt when not working </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Difficulty detaching — even during rest </li> </ul> You can meet deadlines, put in long hours, and still be healthy. But when work becomes how you manage fear, grief, identity, or anxiety — it shifts from effort to escape.   <hr />   <h2 dir="ltr">Burnout Isn't Just Exhaustion</h2> Burnout isn't just being tired. It's a full-system collapse: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Physical </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Emotional </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Mental </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Spiritual </li> </ul> For many high performers, burnout mirrors an addiction "bottom." You keep pushing… until your system can't. And then something breaks. Relationships suffer. Health declines. Meaning fades. And the work that once energized you begins to feel like pressure, obligation, or proof of worth.   <hr />   <h2 dir="ltr">The Cultural Trap</h2> Our culture celebrates overworking. We glorify: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Hustle </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Sacrifice </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Endless productivity </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> "Grinding" for success </li> </ul> But we rarely talk about the cost: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Anxiety </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Family strain </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Loss of identity outside work </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Chronic stress </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Emotional detachment </li> </ul> Workaholism is often called "the respectable addiction" because it looks admirable from the outside. Until it doesn't.   <hr />   <h2 dir="ltr">Recovery Isn't About Quitting Work</h2> Unlike substances, you can't abstain from work. Recovery is about boundaries, awareness, and redefining your relationship to productivity. Dawn shared practices that helped her rebuild balance: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Under-scheduling instead of over-planning </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Creating "top lines" (healthy behaviors to commit to) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Creating "bottom lines" (behaviors to avoid) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Protecting time for joy, relationships, and rest </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Spiritual grounding and daily reflection </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Detaching self-worth from output </li> </ul> It's less about doing less — and more about working from a different place. Not fear. Not "not enough." Not urgency. But intention.   <hr />   <h2 dir="ltr">Action Steps: Rebuilding a Healthy Relationship With Work</h2> If this episode resonated, here are simple starting points. <h3 dir="ltr">1) Notice the fuel behind your productivity</h3> Ask yourself: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Am I working from joy… or fear? </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Is this aligned… or avoidance? </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Am I creating… or proving? </li> </ul> <h3 dir="ltr">2) Separate urgency from importance</h3> Not everything urgent is important. And not everything important feels urgent. Pause before reacting. <h3 dir="ltr">3) Identify your "bottom lines"</h3> Examples: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> No work after a certain hour </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> No phone during family time </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> No checking email first thing in the morning </li> </ul> <h3 dir="ltr">4) Define your "top lines"</h3> Healthy commitments like: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Movement </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Hydration </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Connection </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Rest </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Creative time </li> </ul> <h3 dir="ltr">5) Schedule spaciousness</h3> Recovery often begins with: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Fewer commitments </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Fewer calls </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Fewer goals at once </li> </ul> Space allows clarity. <h3 dir="ltr">6) Detach identity from productivity</h3> Practice this reframe: "I am enough — with or without what I produce today." <h3 dir="ltr">7) Watch for the "self-care productivity trap"</h3> Even healing can become another project. Self-care isn't something to optimize. It's something to experience.   <hr />   <h2 dir="ltr">Reflection Prompts</h2> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Where is my self-worth tied to achievement? </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> What am I avoiding by staying busy? </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> When do I feel most at peace — and why? </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> What would "enough" look like today? </li> </ul>   <hr />   <h2 dir="ltr">Resources Mentioned</h2> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Workaholics Anonymous literature and tools </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Journaling and recovery reflection practices </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Byron Katie's "The Work" inquiry process </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Anxiety and habit research (Dr. Judson Brewer) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Recovery communities and peer support spaces </li> </ul> (Referenced from episode transcript)   <hr />   <h2 dir="ltr">Final Thought</h2> You don't have to burn out to change your relationship with work. You don't have to earn rest. You don't have to prove your worth. You don't have to run on fear. There is another way to work — one rooted in clarity, presence, and enoughness. And it starts with one honest question: What's really driving me right now? Guest Contact Info:  👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life? 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The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast

What happens when work becomes more than just a job? In this compelling episode of The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast, host Arlina Allen welcomes Dr. Dawn Nickel to discuss the often overlooked addiction to work. Known as workaholism, this addiction can be masked by society's praise for ambition and productivity. Dawn shares her own experiences with a 'workaholic blackout,' a moment that made her realise the extent of her dependency on work as a coping mechanism.After years of substance recovery, Dawn found herself in a new cycle of overwork and anxiety. She opens up about how her self-worth became entangled with her productivity and the burnout that followed. The conversation highlights the fine line between being driven and being addicted to work, offering listeners practical steps to identify and manage workaholism. Dawn's story is a reminder that recovery isn't just about substances; it can also be about redefining one's identity and finding balance in life.Whether you're someone who feels trapped in the cycle of overworking or simply curious about the signs of workaholism, this episode provides valuable insights and tools for rebuilding a healthier relationship with work. Could your drive for success be more than just ambition? Tune in to explore how to find balance and redefine what it means to be truly successful.

Arlina Allen

Arlina Allen

418 Burnout, Identity & the "Respectable Addiction" of Work

418 Burnout, Identity & the "Respectable Addiction" of Work

418 Burnout, Identity & the "Respectable Addiction" of Work

Thursday 19th February 2026

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The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast

Is Work Your Drug? Exploring Workaholism and Burnout

Episode Overview